Cat History Rewritten: Domestication Happened Farโค Later Then Previously โBelieved
PARIS – A groundbreaking genetic study is forcing scientists toโฃ rewrite โฃthe timeline โคof cat domestication, pushing its origins back by millennia. For decades, โthe prevailingโค theory held that โขcats began โคtheirโ close relationship โwith humans as early as 9,000โฃ years ago, coinciding with the dawn of agriculture. New research, though, demonstrates that the process of feline domestication began a mere 2,000 years ago, dramaticallyโ reshaping โour understanding of how theseโ animals became integrated intoโ human society.
The study,โ led by Marco โขde Martino, reveals that domestic cats aren’t descended from a long lineage of gradually tamed felines, but rather trace their ancestry directly to โฃwild cats from North Africa. This challenges long-held assumptions about the co-evolution of humansโข and cats, and suggests their widespread presenceโค in our lives is a relatively recent phenomenon. “We are postponing the introduction of cats from 8โข or 9,000 years ago to just 2,000 years ago,” โฃde Martino summarizes.”It’s a whole different story!”
The research indicates that โคcats rapidly โspread throughout theโ Roman Empire beginning in โthe 1st century BC,appearing as far afield as the british Isles within decades. Their inherent usefulness in โคcontrolling rodents, coupled with their naturally charming disposition,โฃ quickly cemented their role as valued โcompanions. “Withinโค a few decades, they were found everywhere within the borders of the Roman Empire,” explains de Martino. this swift integration led to the emergence of the “chat servant”โค – the domestic catโค – and the beginningโฃ of a meteoric โrise that continues to this day.
The findings have significant implications โฃfor archaeologists and geneticists studying the relationship between humans andโ animals. Further research will โfocusโฃ on pinpointing the specific genetic markers that facilitated this relatively rapid domestication process and exploring the โขcultural factors that contributed to the cat’s enduring โappeal. The story of our feline companions, it turns out, is far more recent – and perhaps more surprising – than we ever imagined.